The Firm
JOHN GRISHAM
Level 5
Retold by Robin Waterfield
Series Editors: Andy Hopkins and Jocelyn Potter
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate, Harlow,
Essex CM20 2JE, England
and Associated Companies throughout the world.
ISBN-13: 978-0-582-41827-1 ISBN-10: 0-582-41827-5
The Film ©John Grisham 1991
First published in United Kingdom by Century 1991
This adaptation first published by Penguin Books 1995
Published by Addison Wesley Longman Limited and Penguin Books Ltd. 1998
New edition first published 1999
9 10
Text copyright © Robin Waterfield 1995
Illustrations copyright © Bob Harvey (Pennant Illustration Agency) 1995
All rights reserved
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CM20 2JE.
Contents
page

Introduction iv
Chapter 1 Mitchell McDeere 1
Chapter 2 Bendini, Lambert and Locke 2
Chapter 3 The Fifth Floor 4
Chapter 4 Sad News 7
Chapter 5 Long Hours 9
Chapter 6 A Tiny Microphone 11
Chapter 7 Tarrance 13
Chapter 8 Four People, Three of them Dead 20
Chapter 9 Grand Cayman 21
Chapter 10 Dangerous Waters 24
Chapter 11 A Professional Job 28
Chapter 12 Denton Voyles 30
Chapter 13 Shopping for Shoes 34
Chapter 14 Two Black Briefcases 38
Chapter 15 Secret Talks 40
Chapter 16 No Kiss 43
Chapter 17 Tarry Ross 49
Chapter 18 Fitting the Pieces Together 51
Chapter 19 Avery's Illness 55
Chapter 20 Major Trouble 56
Chapter 21 On the Run 61
Chapter 22 The Hunt Gets Closer 64
Chapter 23 Panama City Beach 65

Chapter 24 On the Floor Among the Boxes 68
Chapter 25 The Pier 70
Activities 74
Introduction
'Mitch, what I'm about to tell you will certainly shock you. You won't
want to believe it. But it's all true, and with your help we can save you.'
Mitchell McDeere wants to succeed. Young, handsome and
intelligent, he wants it all: money, power, a big house and a fast car.
He's climbing — and he wants to climb fast.
So when he is offered a job at the super-rich law firm of Bendini,
Lambert and Locke he cannot believe his luck. With the kind of
money they offer him, all his dreams can come true.
But dreams come at a price. And the firm's price is high — very
high. As high as Mitch's life — unless he fights, and fights hard.
John Grisham is one of the world's best-selling authors. The Firm was
his second novel and was a number one US best-seller for over a year.
It was made into an exciting film in 1993 with Tom Cruise, Gene
Hackman and Holly Hunter.
Grisham was born in 1955 in Arkansas, in the US A, the son of a
building worker. ('We didn't have a lot of money,' he has said. 'But we
didn't know it.') He studied law and ran his own law firm for nine
years, and was also a local politician in Mississippi. In 1984 he
decided to write a novel and spent three years arriving at his office at
5 a.m. in order to write it. This was A Time to Kill. It did not sell well,
but success soon followed. With the money he made from The Firm,
Grisham was able to give up his law practice and concentrate on
writing.
He lives on a farm in Oxford, Mississippi with his wife and two
children. You can also read John Grisham's The Pelican Brief and The
Client in Penguin Readers.

IV
Chapter 1 Mitchell McDeere
Mitchell Y. McDeere was twenty-five years old. He was about to
graduate in the top five from Harvard Law School. He had a beautiful
wife, Abby. He was white, handsome, tall and physically fit. He
didn't take drugs or drink too much. And he was hungry. He wanted it
all: money, power, a big house, a fast car . . . He urgently wanted to
succeed.
In other words, he was perfect for the Memphis law firm of
Bendini, Lambert & Locke. Every one of the twenty partners in the
firm was given a thick file on him. They knew that he had been born
in poverty in Kentucky and brought up by his mother after his father's
death. They knew that she had wasted the money the army gave her
after her eldest son's death in Vietnam, and that only the other brother,
Ray, had cared for him. They knew that he had won a place at
Western Kentucky University because he was good at football, and
had graduated top of his class. They could see the poverty hurt, and
that he wanted to climb away from it.
Now he was about to leave Harvard. Two firms in New York and
one in Chicago were interested in him, according to the file. The
highest offer was $76,000 and the lowest was $68,000. All the
partners agreed that he was the one they wanted. They needed a new
associate this year and they wanted it to be him. The first interview, in
a hotel near Harvard, went well. Oliver Lambert took with him Lamar
Quin, an associate who had been with the firm for seven years, and
offered Mitch $80,000, a new BMW and help in buying a house.
Mitch was interested, of course. Lambert invited him down to
Memphis to visit the firm. He said he would send the air tickets.
The figure of $80,000 started Mitch and Abby dreaming.
1

'Eighty thousand in Memphis is the same as one hundred and twenty
thousand in New York,' Mitch said. 'We'll be able to afford almost
anything we want. And it's only the money I'll start at: in two years
I'll be into six figures. They say that on average an associate becomes
a partner in about ten years, and then I'll be earning about half a
million dollars a year! And what about the car and the house?'
'Who wants New York?' Abby said, smiling, and thinking about
their rusty Mazda and about new furniture in a big old house — and
dreaming of babies. 'What sort of work is it?'
'Taxes,' Mitch said, 'which is what I enjoy. And we both hate the
cold weather in the north-east. The firm specializes in international
tax law. Bendini started it in 1944. He had a lot of clients in the south,
so he moved down to Memphis. And obviously everyone who works
there loves it: they say that members very rarely leave the firm.'
'And you'd be closer to Ray.'
'True.'
'If they're offering so much, why doesn't everybody know about
them and try to work there?'
'Lambert says they like to stay small. There are only forty-one
members in all. They get one new member every two years, and they
approach him rather than the other way round.'
'Why would they help us with a house?' Abby asked.
'It's important to the firm that their members stay happy and look
rich. It helps to bring business in.'
'Memphis, here we come,' said Abby. 'I like this firm already.'
Chapter 2 Bendini, Lambert and Locke
Bendini had loved the firm's office building; he had also loved
secrecy. Before his death in 1970 he had filled the 100-year-old
2
building with electronic surveillance equipment, as well as with every

luxury money could buy. Only a few special members could enter
certain parts of the building.
In twenty years Bendini built the richest law firm in Memphis. It
was also definitely the quietest. Every associate hired by the firm was
taught the evils of a loose tongue. Everything was secret — especially
clients' business. Young associates were warned that talking about the
firm's business outside the firm could delay the prize of a partnership.
Nothing left the building on Front Street. Wives were told not to ask
questions — or were lied to. The associates were expected to work
hard, keep quiet and spend their healthy incomes.
Lamar Quin met Mitch at the entrance to the building. After an
embarrassing speech by Oliver Lambert in front of all the other
associates in the second-floor library, Lamar took him on a tour of the
office. There were excellent libraries on the first four floors of the
five-floor building, so that no member needed to leave the office to
find out anything.
The first four floors were almost the same. The centre of each floor
was filled with secretaries, their desks and the necessary machines.
On one side of the open area was the library and on the other were
offices and smaller conference-rooms. Partners got the large corner
offices, with wonderful views over the river and the city.
'You won't see any pretty secretaries,' Lamar said softly as they
watched them work. 'These are the best legal secretaries in Memphis,
but they also have to be over a certain age. The firm likes its members
to have steady marriages. Babies are encouraged. Of course wives are
not forbidden to work.'
'I hope not,' said Mitch, puzzled by the word 'forbidden'. He
decided to change the subject. 'Does every lawyer get his own
secretary?'
'Yes, until you're a partner. Then you'll get another, and by

3
then you'll need one. Nathan Locke has three, all with twenty years'
experience, and he keeps them busy. You'll find that the work takes at
least eighty hours a week at first. And there's always more if you want
it. Everyone works a hundred hours a week during tax season. We get
well paid, all right, but we earn it, believe me.'
'What about holidays?'
'Two weeks a year for the first five years. I know that doesn't sound
like very much, but the firm does own a couple of beach houses in the
Cayman Islands, and you can usually get one for your holiday — as
long as a partner doesn't want it, of course. We do a lot of business in
the Caymans, as well, because the islands are tax-free. Nathan Locke's
there at the moment, in fact, which is why you can't meet him today.'
Mitch had lunch with the partners in their special dining-room on
the fifth floor. Again the generous public praise was embarrassing, but
pleasing. Mitch wanted a beer to help him feel comfortable, but
looking round he saw that no one had any alcohol, and he learned that
drinking at lunch-time was not liked by the firm. Nor was heavy
drinking at any time. They wanted members they could rely on. That
was all right with Mitch. He was determined to succeed.
By the time Mitch left the building in the evening, after a meeting
with Royce McKnight to discuss further details of his contract, he had
decided: there could be no better offer in the whole country.
Chapter 3 The Fifth Floor
There were no law offices on the fifth floor of the Bendini Building.
The partners' dining-room and kitchen filled the west end, then in the
centre there were some empty rooms, and then
4
there was a wall. In the centre of the wall was a small metal door with
a button beside it and a camera over it. This opened on to a small

room where an armed guard watched the door and studied a large
number of television surveillance screens. A hall went past the offices
and workrooms of a number of men whose job was to watch and to
gather information. The windows to the outside world were painted
over. DeVasher, the head of security, had the largest of these small,
plain offices.
On the Monday after Mitch McDeere's visit, Oliver Lambert stood
in front of the small metal door and stared at the camera over it. He
pushed the button, waited and was finally allowed in. He walked
quickly along the hall and entered DeVasher's office. They talked a bit
about McDeere. DeVasher reported that, as far as he and his men
could tell, Mitch would not be a security risk for the firm. He played
Lambert a tape of phone calls from Mitch's hotel room in Memphis to
Abby in Massachusetts.
'Very loving conversations, you see, Ollie,' DeVasher said with an
evil grin on his face. 'They're just like a newly married couple. I'll try
to get you some bedroom pictures later. I know how much you enjoy
those. She is lovely.'
'Shut up, DeVasher,' Lambert said, and then, after a pause, 'I wish
we could find his brother Ray. We know everything about his family,
and hers, but we just can't find this brother.'
'Don't worry, Ollie,' DeVasher said. 'We'll find him.' DeVasher
closed the McDeere file and opened another, much thicker one.
Lambert stared at the floor. 'What's the latest?' he asked softly.
'It's not good news, Ollie. Kozinski and Hodge are definitely
working together now. Last week the FBI checked Kozinski's house
and found our bugs.* Kozinski told Hodge when they were hiding in
the third-floor library. Now they think everything's bugged and they're
very careful where they talk.'
* Bug: a small hidden microphone.

5

DeVasher played Lambert a tape of phone calls from
Mitch's hotel room in Memphis to Abby in Massachusetts.
'Which FBI agent is involved?'
'Tarrance. He seems to be in charge.'
'How often has he talked to Kozinski?'
'There's no way to know. We know of four meetings in the last
month, but I suspect more. They're being real careful.'
'How much has he given them?'
'Not much, I hope. They're still trying to persuade him. He's
frightened. Hodge hasn't talked to the FBI yet, I don't think. He'll do
whatever Kozinski does.'
'What have you told Lazarov?'
'Everything. That's my job. They want you in Chicago the day
after tomorrow. They want answers, and plans.'
'What plans?'
'Plans to get rid of Kozinski, Hodge and Tarrance, if it becomes
necessary.'
'Tarrance! Are you crazy? We can't get rid of an FBI agent!'
'Lazarov is stupid, Ollie, you know that. And that's what he wants
from you. Of course, if he does kill Tarrance, the FBI will be all over
the place, and all of you lawyers will suddenly have to leave the
country.'
'Try to argue with him, will you? And watch McDeere for another
month.'
'OK, Ollie. Don't worry.'
Chapter 4 Sad News
When the McDeeres moved down to Memphis they stayed with the
Quins. The two couples became good friends. It didn't take Mitch and

Abby long to find a house to buy, on a street called East
Meadowbrook. After they moved in they were completely
7
happy. The new house was everything they had dreamed about: large,
comfortable and in a good neighbourhood. Abby went mad buying
furniture, while Mitch drove the new black BMW all around town,
getting to know the area.
The Thursday before Mitch was due to start work they drove over
to the Quins' house for dinner.
'Now that you've spent next year's income on furniture,' Mitch said
on the way there, 'what next?'
'Oh, I don't know,' Abby said. 'How about babies?'
'Hey, slow down. Let me get settled first!'
Abby laughed and sat back in her seat. Mitch admired her legs.
'When did I last tell you you were beautiful?' he asked.
'About two hours ago.'
'Two whole hours! How thoughtless of me!'
'Right. Don't let it happen again.'
They parked behind the Quins' two Mercedes. Kay met them at the
front door. Her eyes were red from crying.
'Oh, Kay, what's the matter?' Abby asked.
'There's . . . there's been a tragedy,' she said.
'Who is it?' Mitch asked.
Kay wiped her eyes and breathed deeply. 'Two members of the
firm, Marty Kozinski and Joe Hodge, were killed today. We were very
close to them.'
Mitch remembered them from his visit to the firm. 'What
happened?' he asked.
'No one's sure,' Kay said. 'They were on Grand Cayman, diving.
There was some kind of explosion on the boat and we think they

drowned. A boatman was also killed. There was a meeting in the firm
a few hours ago and they were all told about it. Lamar could hardly
drive home.'
'Where is he?' Mitch asked.
'By the swimming-pool. He's waiting for you.'
8
Lamar was just sitting there, deep in shock. Mitch sat down next to
him and waited. Lamar shook his head and tried to speak, but no
words came. His eyes were red and he looked hurt.
Finally, Mitch said, 'Lamar, I'm so sorry. I wish I could say
something.'
'There's nothing to say. Marty Kozinski was one of my best
friends. He was going to be the next partner. He was a great lawyer,
one we all admired. Our . . . our children always played together.'
Mitch and Abby drove home in silence. Four days later, instead of
starting behind his desk at the office, Mitch and his lovely wife joined
the remaining thirty-nine members of the firm, and their lovely wives,
and said goodbye to Marty Kozinski and Joe Hodge. Oliver Lambert
gave such a beautiful speech that even Mitchell McDeere, who had
buried a father and a brother, was moved close to tears. Abby's eyes
watered at the sight of the widows and children.
Chapter 5 Long Hours
Mitch learned fast. He was appointed to work with one of the
partners, Avery Tolleson, and helped him with several of his clients.
He learned to respect Avery's talent for hard work. Avery taught
Mitch all about billing clients for his time. As an associate he could
bill $100 an hour. His future progress at the firm, he was warned,
depended on how much income he made for the firm. He learned that
it was acceptable to bill clients more than he actually worked. 'If you
think about a client while you're driving over to the office in the

morning,' Avery told him, 'add on another hour.' He could bill clients
for twelve hours a day, even if he never worked twelve hours a day.
Mitch also learned that Avery liked to bend the firm's rules. His
marriage was breaking
9
up and his eyes followed every good-looking woman he saw on the
streets. He also drank at lunch-times.
From Avery and the other partners Mitch learned the way things
were done at Bendini, Lambert & Locke. He learned that secrecy was
valued highly; he learned to talk to no one outside the firm, not even
Abby.
Mitch was determined to become a partner in less time than anyone
else ever had before. He was determined to earn the firm more money
than any associate ever had before. He had heard the stories about
how many hours people worked; even sixteen hours a day was not
unknown in the firm.
It was said that Nathan Locke started work at six a.m. every day.
On his first full day Mitch arrived at the office at 5.30. No one else
was there.
He climbed the stairs to his office on the second floor, made
himself a cup of coffee and began to work. After a while he got up
from his desk and went over to the window. It was still dark outside.
He didn't notice the figure suddenly appear at his door.
'Good morning.'
Mitch turned round from the window. 'You frightened me,' he said.
'I'm sorry. I'm Nathan Locke. I don't believe we've met.'
'I'm Mitch McDeere, the new man.' They shook hands.
'Yes, I know.'
Mitch could not stop himself staring at the man's eyes. Nathan
Locke's eyes were cold and knowing. They were the most evil eyes he

had ever seen.
'I see you're an early riser,' Locke was saying.
'Yes, sir.'
'Well, it's good to have you in the firm.'
♦
After a few days DeVasher, Lambert and Locke had a meeting.
10
They were sure Mitch could not keep going: nobody could work a
hundred hours a week for more than a few months.
'How's his wife taking it?' Lambert asked.
'This will change, but at the moment I can only hear his side of the
conversations,' DeVasher said. 'She's not delighted. She's practising
her cooking for the first time and he's getting sandwiches from the
shops, because he's never home in time for dinner.'
'What do you mean, "This will change"?' asked Locke.
'I mean Chicago is still worried, you know? We don't think
Kozinski and Hodge told the FBI anything important, but Lazarov
wants to be safe. He wants the homes of all associates bugged.'
'Don't you think that's going a bit too far?' asked Lambert.
'Chicago doesn't think so.'
'All of them, even McDeere?'
'Yes. I think Tarrance will try again. Oh, and before I forget, we've
found McDeere's brother Ray — or rather, McDeere led us to him.
He's in Brushy Mountain Prison, near Nashville. He accidentally
killed someone in a bar fight and the court gave him fifteen years.
He's done four of them. McDeere went to visit him last Sunday. I
wonder if we could use this as a lever against McDeere, if we ever
need to.'
Chapter 6 A Tiny Microphone
Mitch didn't slow down: he became a machine. He had never needed

as much sleep as other people and now this was to his advantage.
However much work Avery Tolleson threw at him, he managed to get
through it. Sometimes he worked all through the night, and found an
unsmiling Abby waiting for him when he came home at dawn for a
quick shower before returning to the office.
11
Oliver Lambert invited the McDeeres, the Quins and two other
associates and their wives to dinner one Saturday at Justine's, his
favourite restaurant.
Not long after Mitch and Abby entered the restaurant, two men
with the correct key entered the shiny black BMW in the car park of
Justine's. They drove away from the restaurant to the new home of Mr
and Mrs McDeere. They parked the BMW in its usual place. The
driver got another key out of his pocket and the two men entered the
house.
They worked quickly and quietly. A tiny microphone, no bigger
than a fingernail, was stuck into the mouthpiece of each phone in the
house. The signals from these microphones would go to a receiver in
the space under the roof of the house.
Then the men turned their attention to each room. A small hole was
made in the corner of every room, high up where no one would notice
it. A tiny microphone was placed inside each hole. A wire, no thicker
than a human hair and completely invisible, ran from each
microphone to the receiver. The receiver looked exactly like an old,
broken radio, and it joined other old objects that were already there in
a corner under the roof. It would not be noticed for months, maybe
years. And if it was noticed, it would simply be thrown away as
rubbish. The receiver, of course, would also send signals from the
house back to the fifth floor at Bendini, Lambert & Locke.
Just as the fish was served at Justine's, the BMW parked quietly

next to the restaurant. The driver locked the car door. It was the
Mahans next. At least they lived closer to the restaurant than the
McDeeres, and had a smaller house, so the work would be easier.
♦
On the fifth floor of the Bendini Building, DeVasher stared at rows of
lights and waited for some signal from 1231 East
12
Meadowbrook. The dinner party had finished thirty minutes earlier
and it was time to listen. A tiny yellow light shone weakly and he put
a pair of headphones on. He pushed a button to record. He waited. A
green light marked 'McD-6' began to shine. It was the bedroom. The
voices started to come in loud and clear.
'I don't like Jill Mahan,' the female voice, Mrs McDeere, was
saying. 'Her husband's OK, but she's really unpleasant.'
'Are you drunk?' asked Mr McDeere.
'Almost. I'm ready for sex.'
DeVasher bent his head closer towards his surveillance equipment,
to listen better.
'Take your clothes off,' Mrs McDeere demanded.
'We haven't done this for a while,' said Mr McDeere.
'And whose fault is that?' she asked.
'I haven't forgotten how. You're beautiful.'
'Get in the bed,' she said.
DeVasher closed his eyes and watched them.
Chapter 7 Tarrance
On the first Monday in August a general meeting was called in the
main library on the first floor. Every member was there. The mood
was quiet and sad. Beth Kozinski and Laura Hodge were politely
brought in by Oliver Lambert. They were seated at the front of the
room. In front of them, on the wall, were pictures of their husbands.

Oliver Lambert stood with his back to the wall and gave a speech.
He almost whispered at first, but the power of his voice made every
sound clear throughout the room. He looked at the two widows and
told of the deep sadness the firm felt, and how they would always be
taken care of as long as there was a firm. He talked of Marty and Joe,
of their first few years with the firm, of
13
their importance to the firm. He spoke of their love for their families.
The widows held hands and cried softly. Kozinski's and Hodge's
closest friends, like Lamar Quin and Doug Turney, were wiping their
eyes.
After the speech Mitch went over to look at the pictures. There
were three other pictures on the wall as well. One was of a woman;
underneath the picture were the words 'Alice Knauss, 1948-1977'. He
had heard about her: the only woman ever to become a member of the
firm, she was killed in a car crash just three years after joining. The
other two pictures were of Robert Lamm and John Mickel. He asked
Avery about them. Lamm was out hunting in Arkansas one day in
1970 and didn't return. He was found eventually with a bullet in his
head. Everyone supposed it was a hunting accident. Mickel shot
himself in 1984. Five dead lawyers in fifteen years. It was a dangerous
place to work.
♦
Mitch was always the first to arrive at the office and often the last to
leave as well. The partners were delighted with his progress and
rewarded him with extra money. Abby got a job as a teacher at a local
school, so that she wasn't just sitting around the house, bored. Mitch's
ability to work long hours was already a legend, but she didn't want to
be married to a legend; she wanted a flesh-and-blood person next to
her.

Recently Mitch had started having his lunch sometimes in a small
cafe about half a mile from the Bendini Building. It was a dark hole in
the wall with few customers and bad food. He liked it because no one
else from the firm went there, so he could sit quietly and read legal
documents while he ate. He could always bill the client for his time.
One day while he was there a stranger approached his table
14

The widows held hands and cried softly.
and stood next to it. Mitch put down his document. 'Can I help you?'
he asked.
The stranger said, 'You're McDeere, aren't you?'
Mitch studied him. Judging by his accent, he was from New York.
He was about forty, with short hair, and was wearing a cheap suit.
'Yeah,' he said. 'Who are you?'
In reply the man pulled a badge out of his pocket. 'Wayne
Tarrance, FBI.' He waited for a reaction.
'Sit down,' Mitch said.
'Thanks.' After he sat down, Tarrance said, 'I heard you were the
new man at Bendini, Lambert & Locke.'
'Why would that interest the FBI?'
'We watch that firm quite closely.'
'Why?'
'I can't tell you at the moment. We have our reasons, but I didn't
come here to talk about them. I came here to meet you, and to warn
you about the firm.'
'I'm listening,' Mitch said.
'Three things. First, don't trust anyone. Second, every word you
say, at home or in the office, is probably being recorded.'
Mitch watched and listened carefully; Tarrance was enjoying this.

'And the third thing?' he asked.
'Money doesn't grow on trees.'
'What do you mean by that?'
'I can't say more at the moment. I think you and I will become very
close. I want you to trust me, and I know I'll have to earn your trust.
So I don't want to move too fast. We can't meet at your office or at my
office, and we can't talk on the phone. So from time to time I'll come
and find you. For now, just remember those three things, and be
careful. Here's my home phone number. You won't want to call me
yet, but you'll
16
need it sometime. But call me only from a pay phone. If I'm
not in, leave a message on the machine.'
Mitch put it in his shirt pocket.
'There's one other thing,' Tarrance said as he stood up. 'You had
better know that Hodge's and Kozinski's deaths weren't accidental.'
He looked down at Mitch with both hands in his pockets, smiled, and
left before Mitch could ask any more questions.
♦
The next day Mitch had an opportunity to go and see Lamar. He
walked into his office and closed the door. 'We need to talk,' he said.
If he believed Tarrance the office was bugged and the conversation
would be recorded. He was not sure whom to believe.
'You sound serious,' Lamar said.
'Did you ever hear of someone called Wayne Tarrance?'
'No.'
TBI.'
Lamar closed his eyes. 'FBI,' he whispered.
'That's right. He had a badge and everything.'
'Where did you meet him?'

'He found me in Lansky's Cafe on Union Street. He knew who I
was.'
'Have you told Avery?'
'No. No one except you. I'm not sure what to do.'
Lamar picked up the phone and spoke to Avery Tolleson. Within a
few minutes Mitch and Lamar were up in Lambert's office. Avery,
Lambert, Royce McKnight, Harold O'Kane and Nathan Locke were
there, sitting around a conference table.
'Have a seat,' said Locke with a false smile.
'What's that?' Mitch pointed to a tape recorder in the centre of the
table.
'We don't want to miss anything,' Locke said.
17
'OK,' Mitch said. He repeated his conversation with Tarrance.
Locke stared at Mitch with his dark eyes while he was speaking,
and as soon as he had finished he asked, 'Have you ever seen this man
before?'
'Never.'
'Whom did you tell?'
'Only Lamar.'
'Your wife?'
'No.'
'Did he leave you a phone number to call?'
'No.'
The tape recorder was switched off. Locke walked to the window.
'Mitch,' he said, 'we've had trouble with the FBI and the tax people for
several years now. Some of our clients like us to take risks for them.
We do things for them which are not quite illegal, but which are close
to the edge. And like any firm of tax lawyers with clients as rich as
ours, the FBI occasionally has to investigate some of our clients.

Naturally, they investigate us at the same time. Tarrance is new down
here, and he's trying to score a big win. He's dangerous. You are not to
speak to him again.'
'How many of our clients have the courts found guilty?' Mitch
asked.
'Not a single one.'
'What about Marty and Joe? What did happen?'
'That's a good question. We don't know. It's true that it was
possibly not an accident. The boatman who was with them seems to
have been a drug smuggler, according to the police there.'
'I don't think we'll ever know,' McKnight added. 'We're trying to
protect their families, so we're calling it an accident.'
'Don't mention any of this to anyone,' Locke said. 'Not even your
wife. If Tarrance contacts you again, let us know immediately.
Understand?'
'Yes, sir.' Mitch nodded.
18
The grandfatherly warmth returned to Oliver Lambert's face. He
smiled and said, 'Mitch, we know this is frightening, but we're used to
it. We can look after it. Leave it to us, and don't worry. And stay
away from Tarrance.'
'Further contact with Tarrance will put your future in the firm at
risk,' Locke said.
'I understand,' Mitch said.
'That's all, Mitch,' Lambert said. 'You and Lamar can go back to
work now.'
As soon as they were out of the room Lambert called DeVasher on
the phone. Within two minutes Lambert and Locke were sitting in
DeVasher's office.
'Did you listen?' Locke asked.

'Yeah, of course. We heard every word the boy said. You handled
it very well. I think he's frightened and will run from Tarrance. But
I've got to tell Lazarov: he's the boss. I hope I can still persuade him
not to kill Tarrance.'
'God, yes,' Lambert said. 'But why did they choose McDeere, do
you think?'
'Because he's young and because he's a good person — the kind of
person who wouldn't like what's going on here. I suggest you keep
McDeere so busy he doesn't have time to think. And it would be a
good idea for Quin to get closer to him, too, so that if McDeere does
want to tell anyone anything he'll naturally turn to Quin.'
'Did he tell his wife last night?' asked Locke.
'We're checking the tapes now,' DeVasher said. 'It'll take about an
hour. We've got so many bugs in this city, it takes six computers to
find anything. I'll let you know if I find anything. But he and his wife
don't talk that much any more. McDeere had better visit the Caymans,
though. Can you arrange it?'
'Of course,' said Lambert. 'But why?'
'I'll tell you later.'
19
Chapter 8 Four People, Three of them Dead
That Sunday, Mitch went to visit his brother Ray in prison again.
There was some information he wanted. They chatted for a while and
then Mitch said, 'You once told me in a letter that you knew a prisoner
who used to be a cop in Memphis and now works there as a private
investigator. I can't remember his name.'
'Eddie Lomax. Yeah. Cops are hated in here. I helped him out once
in a fight; they were killing him. We became friends. He still writes to
me. He's been out about three years now.'
'Thanks.'

'Why do you need him?'
'A lawyer friend's wife is cheating on him. Is Lomax good?'
'Yeah, I think so. He's made some money, anyway. You'll find him
in the phone book.'
A guard walked by and reminded them that it was nearly time for
visitors to leave.
'Is there anything I can send you?' asked Mitch. 'Any language
tapes?' Ray had learned several languages while he was in prison.
'Yeah, something on Greek, please. And a picture of Abby and of
your house. You're the first McDeere in a hundred years to own a
house.'
'OK. I'll see you next month.'
♦
Lomax's secretary, Tammy, was blonde, about forty years old but still
sexy. She wore short skirts and a low-cut blouse. She kept crossing
and uncrossing her legs while Mitch was waiting for Lomax to get off
the phone.
When Mitch eventually got into the office Lomax stood up behind
his desk and held out his hand. 'So you're Mitchell McDeere. It's good
to meet you.'
20